“I hope the right people present themselves to help you figure it all out.”
“So do I.” She’d need great connections and advice. She wasn’t so naive to expect people to give her their time and expertise. Most people would want to be paid. Only those she knew, like Jim and Nana and Mia would be willing to— She caught her breath. Nick had a great eye. And a good business sense…
* * *
After lunch, Kat slid into the driver’s seat in Nana’s car again. “You ready for a nap?” she asked Nana.
“Maybe later. Let’s run by the house first. You want to see the new construction, don’t you?”
Kat bit her lip. She’d debated that question ad nauseum. She checked the time. At one-fifteen no one would be home. She could see Nick’s work and avoid her parents.
“We might as well while we’re out,” Nana nudged.
Kat glanced over. “Why are you so eager for me to see it?”
Nana crossed her arms. “It’d be a good conversation starter.”
“If I needed such a thing.”
“Or wanted,” Nana said softly.
Moving the car into the other lane, Kat gave a wry smile.
Twenty minutes later, she pulled the car into the driveway. She helped Nana up the stairs and unlocked the door. Inside, her eyes went straight to the living room. Oh, my. The change was dramatic. The vertical panels of wood above the bookcases made the room seem taller. And she could see the craftsmanship of the mantel from where she stood. She noted there was no artwork above it. Her mother probably had something on order in the framing shop.
Footsteps sounded, and Kat whirled to see her mother emerge from the hallway, hand at her chest.
“Oh, my word.” She gasped.
“Mom! Why are you here?”
“I live here, for heaven’s sake.”
“But it’s–”
“I’ve been taking a few Friday afternoons off. I’ve got an appointment this afternoon.”
“Oh.” Kat gestured toward the living room. “I just thought I’d take a look at the new rooms.” She groaned inside. She hadn’t been prepared to confront her mother.
Her mother moved forward and cleared her throat. “Well, since you’re here, I…we…wanted to speak to you about something.”
There was an odd hesitation in her mother’s voice. Kat lifted her brows. “Okay…”
“As you can see, we need new artwork for the blank space above the fireplace. Something more modern to match the new decor.”
And she wanted her opinion?
“You have extras, right? Something similar to the one from the museum auction? It was quite popular.”
A whisper could’ve knocked Kat to the floor. Gaping, she stared at her mother. “What?”
“We’ll pay for it, of course. Whatever you think the retail value is.”
“Mom, wait.” Had hell frozen over? “You want one ofmypaintings to go in here?” Her art hanging together with Nick’s? Kat’s heart stuttered.
Her mother brushed probably non-existent lint from her sleeve and swept past Kat. “Do you have something the right size?”
Kat glanced at Nana. She appeared just as surprised as Kat, so apparently this hadn’t been a set-up.
